Anyone have dogs and work 12hr shifts?

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I really need some advice.

I have two dogs (beagles) and I wonder if anyone else has dogs and works 12 hour shifts. I do the night shift, right now the dogs stay with my boyfriend but if that were to no longer be an option ~ :( I would feel cruel leaving them alone from 630 when I leave at night until 815 when I came home 3 days a week.

Does anyone else have this dilemma and find a way to work it out. Normally if I was at home they sleep from 9pm until 7am. They have free rein of my finished basement, but occasionally are crated for short amounts of time. I would just feel so guilty. I don't have family close by to really help.

Is it possible to have my dogs and still work12 hour shifts. Thanks for any advice.

Specializes in NICU.

It's hard on dogs to be left alone for over 12 hours, but they do survive. I've stopped by my friends house many times to let her dog out to go potty.

My hb is going to be out of town next week. Luckily I only have to work two nights, and I try to get home on my break around mn so our three can have a potty break.

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Specializes in HIV care, med/surge agency.

Your dogs have a good home. Stop feeling guilty. Being left alone for 14 hours 3 days a week is not pet neglect. Just spend time with them when your off. Hireing a neighbor to spend time with hem and walk them 3 times a week is a good idea however.

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Specializes in ER, Med-Surg, Case Management.

We have two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers... One is 4 yrs old and the other 7 mos. old... The older one is an absolute angel.. she has never chewed anything other than her toys since she was a puppy... No problems leaving her and I work 12 hour shifts at night also... my husband goes out of town to visit family often and will take the baby with him... She tends to chew what she isn't supposed to.. She is learning though. The older one stays with me, my husband thinks I need a watch dog while I sleep!

If they have free run of the basement and you have had no problem so far that is great!! When we first started to leave our oldest out of her kennel when we would leave, we would do it for short periods of time and then progress on to see how she would tolerate it.. She is an absolute angel and never has done anything bad!!! She is just so glad to see us when we get home.. We get that Chessie smile!! Good luck with your babies!!

Jenny

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Specializes in ER, Med-Surg, Case Management.

I have two Chessies!! One light dead grass and one sage.. Hardly hear of anyone owning chessies.. We love ours! Hope you enjoy yours as much as we do!

Jenny

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Specializes in NICU.
We have two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers... One is 4 yrs old and the other 7 mos. old... The older one is an absolute angel.. she has never chewed anything other than her toys since she was a puppy... No problems leaving her and I work 12 hour shifts at night also... my husband goes out of town to visit family often and will take the baby with him... She tends to chew what she isn't supposed to.. She is learning though. The older one stays with me, my husband thinks I need a watch dog while I sleep!

If they have free run of the basement and you have had no problem so far that is great!! When we first started to leave our oldest out of her kennel when we would leave, we would do it for short periods of time and then progress on to see how she would tolerate it.. She is an absolute angel and never has done anything bad!!! She is just so glad to see us when we get home.. We get that Chessie smile!! Good luck with your babies!!

Jenny

My friends' dog, that I let out when she works, is part Chessie! So that's where her smile comes from! Everytime she sees me, I get a big smile! She is selective, though, she doesn't smile at everyone.:paw: :)

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Specializes in ER, Med-Surg, Case Management.
My friends' dog, that I let out when she works, is part Chessie! So that's where her smile comes from! Everytime she sees me, I get a big smile! She is selective, though, she doesn't smile at everyone.:paw: :)

It is definitely one of their traits... Our baby has not started to smile yet... They look like they will eat you alive, but they are just really thrilled to see you!! That's one of the things I love about Chessies!

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puppies are important-thers always a way- i have 2 dogs and a cat-they keep each other company while im at work. crate trained them @ first-now they're great

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Wow! So weird.. I was TTOOOTALLY needing this exact thread a few months ago when I first got my puppy. I also work fulltime and 12-hour shifts.

I have a 7 month old pup, and here's what I do- on the days that I have to sleep in because I've worked the night before and am working that upcoming night, I send my pup to doggie daycare. This way, I get to sleep and he gets to have lots of fun running around with other latchkey doggies. He loves it, and the daycare is FABULOUS. Research the ones near you and decide which one is best for your dog. So then, in the evening, before I go to work, I pick him up from daycare, he's all tired out, and I just baby-gate him in the kitchen with a some wee-wee pads laid out, in case there are accidents. There always were "accidents" before but lately, it seems he's been able to hold it all night!

Good luck to you.

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i have a miniature dachshund, named geechie river shine. she is 8 months old now. i work er and medical surgical, as well as moonlighting at a psychiatric facility. i feel so guilty for leaving her alone for 12+ hours. i leave food and water in her kennel, as well as her favorite blanket. still, i can't shake that guilty feeling. i think about her constantly at work. i can just picture her little puppy face resting atop her blanket, with those big doggy eyes looking out into the house waiting for my return. i want to hear from some fellow nurses, and get your input. i absolutely despise the idea of geechie being all alone for that length of time. sometimes i work a flex shift from 12p-1a. is it ok to leave her like this? the only reason i don't let her have free run of the house, is because she hasn't quite grasped the concept of "don't pee or poop inside" yet. i welcome your input and suggestion on this situation. do these feelings of guilt go away? is this healthy for her? will she develop kennel cough? please help. thanks, your fellow nurse: benjamin, lpn, chlpn, wcc-vswc j

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i have a miniature dachshund, named geechie river shine. she is 8 months old now. i work er and medical surgical, as well as moonlighting at a psychiatric facility. i feel so guilty for leaving her alone for 12+ hours. i leave food and water in her kennel, as well as her favorite blanket. still, i can't shake that guilty feeling. i think about her constantly at work. i can just picture her little puppy face resting atop her blanket, with those big doggy eyes looking out into the house waiting for my return. i want to hear from some fellow nurses, and get your input. i absolutely despise the idea of geechie being all alone for that length of time. sometimes i work a flex shift from 12p-1a. is it ok to leave her like this? the only reason i don't let her have free run of the house, is because she hasn't quite grasped the concept of "don't pee or poop inside" yet. i welcome your input and suggestion on this situation. do these feelings of guilt go away? is this healthy for her? will she develop kennel cough? please help. thanks, your fellow nurse: benjamin, lpn, chlpn, wcc-vswc j

please find some way to keep your dog without having to crate her for 12+ hours a day. no, it's not healthy for her. it made me sad to even read this.

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My husband and I have hours that are just different enough that the longest mine are alone is 9-10 hours, and that's only one night each week. And mine are geriatric, so they've had years to learn we WILL be coming back.

If you live somewhere that a dog walking service is available, go for it. I wish I did. I dread a few years from now when my husband and I will both be gone for long hours at the same time, because there's nobody I would trust near us. Hoping by then we'll be able to move!

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Specializes in Pulmonary, Transplant, Travel RN.

I have cats, two actually, and I work four 12s/week (during the summer only, three per week the rest of the year).

<_>

>_>

Ok, not the same thing.

Cats rule, dogs drool.

We all float down here.

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